Wood-Fired Italian Sausage Pizza with Pickled Peppers and Fresh Mozzarella

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-11 · Updated 2026-05-11

Neapolitan-style pizza featuring house-made Italian sausage, tangy pickled peppers, and creamy fresh mozzarella baked on a wood-fired crust. This italian-inspired pizza ready in about 32 minutes pairs pizza dough, sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced pickled cherry peppers for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 14 oz pizza dough
• 6 oz, casing removed Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
• 8 oz, sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup, sliced pickled cherry peppers
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 leaves fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 500°F with a pizza stone inside for at least 45 minutes to mimic a wood-fired oven.
2. Step 2: In a skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook 6 oz Italian sausage (casing removed) for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through; drain excess fat.
3. Step 3: On a floured surface, stretch 14 oz pizza dough into a 12-inch circle, then transfer to a pizza peel or parchment paper.
4. Step 4: Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
5. Step 5: Distribute the cooked sausage evenly over the sauce, then layer 8 oz sliced fresh mozzarella and 1/4 cup sliced pickled cherry peppers.
6. Step 6: Drizzle 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over the top and season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
7. Step 7: Slide the pizza onto the heated pizza stone and bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is blistered and cheese is bubbly.
8. Step 8: Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately sprinkle 8 fresh basil leaves torn over it and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese before slicing and serving.